


You, Me and the Stars As My Witness

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [214]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Boys In Love, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:40:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23122621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: The stars were brilliant here.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [214]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1118655
Comments: 12
Kudos: 116





	You, Me and the Stars As My Witness

Stephen took a deep breath, revelling in the scent of grass, dirt, and flowers. Usually, something so simple wouldn’t be noticeable, but tonight everything felt like it had been turned up, his senses on high alert. A thin blanket protected him from the cool earth while another lay heavily across his legs. This particular hill rose high above the others, leaving the trees only at the edges of his vision.

The trek had been a difficult one. Stephen was glad they had done it. The temperature had dropped with the sun, prompting them to pull on thick hoodies. The real warmth came, however, from where Tony was pressed tightly against his side, hands intertwined, and faces turned upwards.

The stars were brilliant here.

Almost an hour outside of the nearest city, they had braved the mosquitoes and treacherous hiking path with only the rays of a few dimming flashlights. Tony had been excited, a nervous energy that came to be infectious as they drove. Stephen hadn’t been able to say no, not when Tony had shown up outside his house, throwing little pebbles at his window like a bad romance novel.

Slipping out of the house had been easy. He’d done it hundreds of times over the past few years. Stephen had left a note with Victor, explaining he was out and with a time to expect him back. His little brother knew better than to let their parents see it.

“Beautiful right?” Tony’s voice was smug, like he’d delivered the world on a platter.

Stephen didn’t want to offer his usual witty retorts, heart too warm with this simple gesture, with the way Tony had kissed him only moments ago, lovingly, “they are,” he confirmed, squeezing his hand. “Never seen anything like it.”

It wasn’t a lie. Stephen hadn’t been camping since he was a child and those memories…the happy ones were fuzzy at best. Not to be dwelled upon, not when everything was so happy and right and good. The summer had just started but it already felt like it was ending, like their little oasis would come crashing down any day when their acceptance letters arrived.

Tony had applied to MIT at the insistence of his father, while Stephen was going for Columbia, would stay in New York, light years away from Tony and whatever love they’d found for all these years would fizzle and die.

Stephen didn’t say that to Tony. He knew better.

The thoughts were still difficult to hide. Tony was a genius for a reason and had been growing restless, his constant I love yous’ becoming a staple in every conversation. Nice, if temporary, when Stephen thought of the contempt shown my Tony’s family for him.

“What time do you need to be back?”

Stephen sighed, pressed closer to Tony, eyes still steady on the tapestry above them, “five, before Victor even wakes up hopefully. I need to make sure he actually leaves for school this time around.”

Tony said nothing to that. They had exhausted their arguments about this years ago, about Stephen’s role in his household since…well since. No need to ruin their peaceful night with dark memories, from either of them if it could be helped.

Breath ghosted across Stephen’s neck and then he felt Tony nuzzling at his temple, little kisses sliding down along his jaw. Smiling softly, Stephen didn’t move, kept his gaze up as he did what he would. It was a game they played often, Tony forever wanting Stephen’s attention and seeing how far he could go before finally getting it.

This time, however, Tony paused at his ear, breathing a little labored as he whispered oh so softly, “I want to marry you.”

Startled, Stephen’s head whipped around to look at him, blinking in the low light. Tony hadn’t moved an inch, leaving them face to face. Words had fled from Stephen’s tongue as he stared incredulously at the other boy.

Tony wasn’t deterred, hand coming up to smooth back Stephen’s hair, “I want to marry you, make you understand that this isn’t going to end.”

Stephen was sure Tony could hear his heart where it beat like a war drum in his chest, making his body feverish with want and adrenaline. Weakly, his rational mind struggled against the fight with his body, “we’re only 18-”

A strong leg hooked around Stephen’s waist drawing him closer, “I know. I don’t care.”

Tony was well known for his impulsive decisions but this one…this one was too much. Stephen didn’t want to be a hastily made mistake in a moment of sweet consideration, couldn’t stand to think of the way he’d be looked at when they fell apart, too young for a such a monumental commitment.

“We’re too youn-”

“Do you love me?”

A shudder went through Stephen at his fond, gentle tone, the way those warm eyes locked onto him as though searching for evidence of a lie. Tony had this way of making everyone around him feel special, wanted, loved. This time was no different and Stephen couldn’t say anything but the truth, “yes.”

A satisfied sigh and Stephen was being kissed. First it was just the light touch of lips, barely there and a tongue darting out to trace the shape of Stephen’s mouth. A hand slid into knotted hair, while another hand landed firmly on his hip. Then…Tony was moving, heaving himself up until he straddled Stephen.

Looking up, he found a familiar wicked smile and a backdrop of stars and one vibrant moon. Tony’s body was parallel to his, forearms resting on the thin blanket as he kissed Stephen again and this time, he surrendered to it willingly, wrapping his arms around muscled shoulders.

Still, thoughts crowded in. Doubt and fear and exhilaration and love.

Tony’s lips broke away from his, both of them breathing harshly, foreheads pressed together, “Stephen Strange, will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

Closing his eyes against the intensity of the moment, the words, Stephen bit his lips. No, hummed in the back of his throat, along with a wretched ache in his chest. Responsibility weighed heavily on where he lay beneath Tony.

“Let me take you away from them,” Tony whispered, one thumb brushing along Stephen’s cheek. His voice bordered on pleading, a desperate twinge with each word spoke. “Let me make you happy and safe and loved. You won’t ever after to worry about money or Victor or anything. It will be just you and me, like we always said. I will make you so fucking happy Stephen Strange…and you’ll never doubt how much I love you again.”

Stephen thought about a night, almost six years ago now. It had been two months after Donna. His parents couldn’t bear to even look at him and his father was drinking away the memories while his mother stared despondently out the window more often than not. Stephen had taken Victor to the park, desperate to get out of that house, to get his _brother_ out of that house.

When they came home. Well…there had been screaming and accusations, because Stephen had taken his brother without a word, couldn’t bear to ask for permission to their faces. Victor and his mother had cried. His father had slapped him across the face.

Stephen had fled his home. He had stood on his stoop for one long moment, mentally running through a list of people who might take him in. In the end, he had called Tony. They weren’t together, still doing that childish dance of their youths. Yet, even then he had known that he felt safest in Tony’s arms. He trusted the other boy to understand.

He had. They’d been inseparable ever since.

There was no more drinking. No more staring. Six years later and there was enough guilt in that house to drown them all. They still looked at Stephen like they wished he’d died instead of his sister. His father still couldn’t look him in the eyes since that night, though he’d never raised a hand again and refused to touch a drop of alcohol. Stephen still felt the ghost of Donna in empty chairs and every heartbreaking nightmare.

To this day Stephen never felt more love than when Tony looked at him, said his name, held his hand.

With the realization came another memory. Tantrums and screaming and crying as Tony railed against his father and his opinions and his disappointments. Remembered with startling clarity the nights they spent in cars and a single secluded cabin when Jarvis could be convinced to let them have free range over the estate. He recalled blanket forts they were too old for and the eyes of a boy that seemed captivated by Stephen’s every word and drunk on his every touch.

Suddenly, the end of them didn’t seem so inevitable anymore.

“Stephen?”

He opened his eyes to find Tony’s expression twisted into uncertainty. The though of the man above him doubting his love for him, believing himself once again unworthy, speared his heart. Marriage couldn’t be built on the fear of farewells and the impulse of two young men.

But.

Well Stephen liked to think that trust and love and safety might be just enough to see them through. Reaching up, Stephen let his eyes take in the shape of Tony’s face, ran his fingers over familiar skin as though it was the first time and thought to himself, testing the waters of his own mind:

_Husband._

A thrill went through him, stomach swooping sharply as though he’d just stumbled into a freefall. Tears pricked Stephen’s eyes and his hands began to tremble as his lips spread into a wide, exhilarated smile.

Tony’s brows furrowed.

“Yes.”

His expression cleared just as quickly, a loud shocked laugh erupting from his lips and they were kissing again, hips meeting with a hard shove and hands touching and tangling and holding each other like it was the last time they’d ever get to do so.

But it wasn’t. It was the first time of a forever of touches.

**Author's Note:**

> Pepper took charge and planned the whole wedding. Wong officiated, getting his certificate off the internet. Rhodey and Christine were respective best man and woman and the whole thing was done in secret the night before they all left for college.  
> Tony's parents would find out on the day of Tony's graduation. Stephen's dad would find out through a random magazine article. Stephen's mum knew the moment her son came home that night.


End file.
